LAS VEGAS – Many expected the fight for the WBC junior lightweight title between Saturday’s Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez to be a back-and-forth fight between two Mexican fighters. As it turned out, the violence was mostly one-way.
Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs), a former WBO featherweight and two-time Olympic title holder, made a major inconvenience against Berchelt (38-2, 34 KOs) at the MGM Grand, shaking him with a left hook. in the second final of the 10th round in immediate favorite for the playoffs of the year.
Valdez, who participated in the fight as more than 240 injured, claimed Berchelt’s title in the WBC and earned the biggest victory of his career.
The impressive starting shot could have overshadowed the fact that Valdez, much younger, dominated the fight. He scored in the fourth and tenth rounds and was well ahead of the judges ’three scores at the time of the goal.
The judges had Valdez, who was born in Mexico but grew up in Arizona, ahead with scores of 89-80, 88-81 and 87-82.
Berchelt, whose only other professional loss occurred through TKO in 2014, remained on the canvas for a few minutes, but was finally able to sit up and stand with help.
The left hook and punch were Valdez’s favorite weapons, as he played a very skillful and cruel killer against Berchelt-like bull aggression. He had Berchelt out of sorts since the first round, as he threw himself in and out with the spike, and then surprised him with his left hook over. Berchelt seemed to want to counter with his power, but he was never comfortable with Valdez’s skill and speed.
In the third round, Berchelt was more or less chasing Valdez through the ring. The third round ended with Berchelt running after him and advancing with shots.
While it wasn’t the strategy Berchelt came up with, he had his moments. He scored with forceful shots on Valdez’s body, and it looked like he might be changing the tide on the seventh, as Valdez repeatedly tied him in inclines to slow down.
But in the eighth, Valdez returned to his effective job and made Berchelt lose by the ropes.
The tenth round was brilliant for Valdez as he opened with combinations and made the referee take a look at Berchelt. The left hook of the output turned out to be a suitable end.
Valdez outscored Berchelt 149-99 in total punches and 103-64 in power punches, according to CompuBox.
The win, which is Valdez’s third consecutive 130-pound appearance, could set up a fight for the junior lightweight title title between Valdez and Shakur Stevenson of Top Rank (15-0, 8 KOs), who attended the “bubble” on Saturday and expressed his interest in taking over Valdez. Top Rank president Todd DuBoef said he would love to organize a fight between the two undefeated junior lightweights.